G. Kidder E. Smith ’35 *38

Few men attain the stature in their elected fields that was reached by the classmate known affectionately as Geks. A graduate of Princeton's School of Architecture (MFA *38), he became not only a practicing architect and a fellow in the American Institute of Architects, but more importantly an "architectural messenger boy." (His words.)

After wartime service with the Navy he authored six books on the architecture of European countries and Brazil, plus a three-volume guide to U.S. architecture. His books appealed to wide audiences and earned him gold medals from the governments of Italy and Brazil. They also led to work as a visiting professor at Yale and MIT and as a lecturer on contemporary architecture here and abroad.

Geks was also an expert photographer. His pictures illustrated his books, became part of the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan, and won AIA's gold medal.

On Oct. 8, 1997, Geks died at his NYC home. His colleagues will remember him for his talented delivery of architectural messages in both words and pictures. His classmates will remember him as a serious student of architecture, a rugged 150-pound oarsman, and, yes, a graceful dancer. He is survived by his wife, Dorothea, a close collaborator in his work and "a dancing delight," sons Kidder Jr. '67 and Hopkinson (Harvard '70), and four grandchildren.

The Class of 1935